Oil-treating process and apparatus



June 18, 1929.

J. R HALL OIL TREATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed May 25', 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet NE K fix ATTORNEY June 18, 1929. HALL 1.7185141 OIL TREATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed Maiy 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY June 18, 1929. J. R. HALL OIL TREATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 25, 1927 I I I 4 ,s I .-----I z/r/z'aa affai ATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1929.

PATENT QFFICE- JAMES ROBERT HALL, OF XVINNFIELLD, LOUISIANA.

OIL-TREATING- PROCESS AND APPARATUS.

Application filed. May 25,

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for separating water and bottom settlings and other foreign matter from oil, especially crude petroleum. My invention depends onthe difference in specific gravity of oil and the foreign substances with which it is commonly contaminated in a crude condition and which I eliminate by centrifugal force in a rapidly rotating drum continuously. The object of the invention is to efiect a clean separation of oil and foreign matter continuously by which a'stream of crude product may be fed by combined automatic suction and a force pump. A further object is to periodically extrude the foreign matter as the pressure of combined action of centrifugal force and the pump increases to a critical point and acts upon automatic pop'valves to permit escape of the foreign material, water, sand, and the like.

7 I effect these results by an alngaratusmaintained in rapid revolution and containing a pair of spiral-ducts having clamped between them an impervious diaphragm and which are in" communication by a port at their rims so that the crude oil delivered through a hollow axis is first thrown centrifugally outward by the rapidly rotating drum, translated across the. port at the outer limit of spiral ducts, and turned inward centripetally again to the axis and delivered to the hollow shaft on the other sideas clean oil spiral ducts in communication on two sides.

for storage.

'My invention, therefore, consists in its broadest phase of a mode of purifying oil of insoluble residues cent-rifugally by lead-.

ing it outwardin a continuous stream and then inwardly centripetally and eliminating at'the outer periphery the foreign substances. It comprises also an apparatus for effecting this process comprising a pair of with a hollow shaft through which the oil is transmitted by combinedcentrifugal and extraneous pressure, with an automatic pressure valve "acting'at a limiting pressure to permit extrusion of the foreign matter. It

consists also of more specific. features, the the novelty of which will be hereinafter described and will be definitely indicated inthe claims appended to the specification. In the accompanying drawings I have 1927. Serial No. 194,164.

shown one form of apparatus for successfully carrying out my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a median longitudinal vertical section on the plane 11 of Figure 4: of an apparatus for carrying out my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the axis on the plane 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the axis on the plane33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a vertical section on the plane 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view of one of the pop valves in the plane3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 represents an auxiliary pump to carry the oil from a source of supply to the separator.

' Referring now in particular to the drawings and first with reference to Figure 1, I provide two circular castings 1, 2 each of which is provided with a spiral vane 3, 1 forming a spiral rib integral-with the bottom circular wall by casting therein a spiralrecess to carry the material transmitted. One of these spirals is a right hand spiral and the other a left hand spiral and are assembled face to face forming an oil-tight joint with a central diaphragm. 5, thereby forming on each side thereof'a spiral duct communicating with a hollow axis 6 to which the material is admitted gradually at each revolution in varying quantities of a conic segmental volume distributed over the intake spiral to the outer periphery, at which point is provideda port 7 through the diaphragm to the adjacent reverse spiral 3. At this point is located a pop valve 8, a companion 9 which is located at a diametrically opposite point. These valves are constructed to act upon excess pressure and comprise a cylindrical duct 10 (see Fig. 5) on which is fitted by a screw oint a casing 11 having lateral ducts for extrusion of water and sand. Each valve con tains a spiral spring 12 seating a metallic ball 13 against a coned orifice in the duct 10. Spring pressure normally closes liquid-tight the outer end of the duct 10 and its inner end is in open communication with the inner wall of the port 7 (see Fig. 3) leading to the companion spiral. The hollowshaft is mounted on bearings 14;, 15 mounted on pedestals 16, 17 securely locked by tenon oints 18, 19 in a cement foundation 20 forming a solid support. The shaft is preferably provided with a pulley 21 to form additional impelling means for maintaining it in rapid revolution. At each bearing is provided a lubricating oil feed 22, 23 for keeping down frictional heat. The intake to the hollow shaft 24 is provided -with a rotary supply pipe 25 and trunnioned diameter permit the drum to be opened at the 20 joint for removal of residues. The lower section of this drum is provided with a tangential spout 35 through which the residue of the filtrate may be withdrawn by the force of air current created by the rotary motion of the drum. This segment of the drum is bolted to the pedestals of the machine. A plurality of peripheral bolts 36 engage the side walls of the casting forming the separator and transverse bolts 37 at the periphery clamp the two sections oil-tight at the joint of the diaphragm 5.

When put in operation the adjustable duct 25 is put in communication with raw petroleum, power is applied to rotate the centrifugal drum.. An auxiliary force pump (indicated in the detail view Figure 6) in the oil supply line driven by a belted connection with the shaft delivers the raw oil to the centrifugal separator and the rotary motion throws it outward and the water being of greater specific gravity and accompanying sand accumulate until expelled through the valves. The feed action on the entering spiral at is intermittent, the oil coming in rapid conical segmental quantities which is immediately distributed over the spiral, and under the centrifugal action a separation of the lighter and heavier elements, water, sand, and oil, goes on accumulatively until the periphery is reached, when it passes across the port and finding no exit by reason of the dam afforded by the water and sand clogging the valve duct, the clear oil is spread over the left hand spiral vanes and must flow against the centrifugal action centrally toward the shaft and pass out, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, to the storage tank through a companion -duct attached to 25. Any sand not eliminated by the first pop valve is emitted at the opposite diametrical valve. This action will accumulatively continue until the amount of water accumulated at the outer perlphery of the drum and in ducts 8' and 9 (Figure 3) is sufficient to create a pressure to cause the balls 15 of the pop valves to overcome the tension of the spring and permit the water and sand to be thrown out until the oil begins to take its place in ducts 8 and 9, thereby reducing the pressure due to difierenceof specific gravity of oil and water and the difference in the radius of travel, thereby oausing the pop valves to close without emitting oil and remain closed until water is again accumulated and in like manner emitted by the pop valves. The tension of the valve springs is overcome by the accunnilation of water and other impurities and permits ejection of the impurities. The speed of the wheel is so adj usted that the settlings are progressively extracted, the foreign substances such as water and sand forming a gradually accumulating pressure on the pump valve during which the. F1

sand is first expelled and the layer of water next, the exact speed of the wheel being de-- termined by the character of the settlings expelled. The force pump furnishing the supply of crude oil overcomes the centrifugal tendency of the oil to hug the periphery of the drum and directs it centripetally to the hollow axis, whence it passes to the storage tank. Thus it will be seen that the purifying process continues automatically by a very simple mechanical process.

I have herein described the best mode of carrying out my invention I have hitherto been able to provide, but I desire it to be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of my claims without departing from my invention. I 7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A centrifugal separator for crude oil comprising a hollow shaft, a rotary drum having two independent lateral ducts side by side connecting the hollow axis with the periphcry, a port between the two at the periphery, an ejection valve for the impurities of greater specific gravity automatically controlled at definite pressure, a lateral duct leading the clear oil centripetally to the shaft, and leading the same therethrough to a storage tank.

2. A centrifugal separator for erudeoil' comprising a hollow shaft, a rotary drum having two independent lateral ducts side by side connecting the hollow axis with the periph ery, a portbetween the two at the periphery,

an ejection valve for the impurities of greater specific gravity automatically controlled at definite pressure, an outer fixed casing to collect the extruded impurities and direct the same to thefloor level'of the centrifugal separator, and a pump for overbalancing outward thrust and discharging the oil axially to a storage tank. 1 I

3. A centrifugal separator for crude oil comprising a hollow shaft, a rotary drum having two independent lateral ducts side by side connecting the hollow axis withthe periphery, a port between the two at the periphery, an ejection valve for the impurities of greater specific gravity automatically controlled at denfiite pressure, a sectional casing, the lower part of which is fixed and the upper part pivoted, a central delivery pipe for the clear oil, and a storage tank therefor.

4. A centrifugal separator for crude oil comprising arotary drum with a pair of in dependent spiral ducts, a hollow axis communicating with the ducts, one to a reservoir for clear oil and the other to a pump for crude oil, the two duets communicating at the periphery, an automatic valve toeject impurities at definite excess pressures, and a sectional casing around the separator'With-fixed lower section and pivoted upper section to deliver the expelled impurities at the floor level of the machine.

5. A method of treating crude oil consisting in leading it centrifugally over a spiral duct at a speed to form a layer of clear oil inwardly of the periphery, automatically ejecting sand, Water, bottom settlings and impurities sequentially on rising pressure, forcing the oil centrally by external pump pressure and storing the clear oil delivered axially.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES ROBERT HALL. 

